ME2142E

Feedback Control Systems

First half: Professor POO Aun Neow
(mpepooan@nus.edu.sg)

S
Second
d half:
h lf Professor
P f
V Subramaniam
S b
i
(mpesubra@nus.edu.sg)

Reference Text(1) Control Systems Engineering 5th Edition

by Norman S Nise. John Wiley & Sons
R f
ReferenceText(2)
T t(2) Modern
M d
C
Control
t lE
Engineering
i
i b
by K O
Ogata.
t P
Prentice
ti H
Hallll
IVLE: https://ivle.nus.edu.sg

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

Expected Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion, student should be
able to
1)

derive dynamic models of simple physical systems

systems, and
obtain the transfer functions for these systems.

2)

determine the transient response of first- and second-order

systems and relate these to the roots of the systems
characteristic equations.

3)

understand the concepts of system stability and determine the

stability of a system using tools such as Rouths stability
criterion and the Root Locus method.

4)

understand steady-state error characteristics of control

systems

5)

determine the frequency response of physical systems and

represent these graphically in Bode and Nyquist plots.

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

Expected Course Outcomes

...
6)

determine the stability of physical systems through the

frequency response using the Nyquist stability criterion.

7)

determine
d
t
i relative
l ti stability
t bilit measures such
h as gain
i and
d phase
h
margins and translate these values in terms of transient
response.

8)

conduct simple experiments to determine the transient and

frequency response characteristics of feedback control
systems.

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

Module Components
This module comprises
1)

12/13 weeks of lectures, 3 hours per week

2)

5 tutorial sessions

3)

2 laboratory experiments
i) Frequency Response
ii) Speed/Position Control of a DC Motor

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

Lesson Plan

Week

Topics

Recommended
Readings
Ref 1
Ref 2

Introduction

Review of Laplace Transform and Applications

Mathematical Modelling and Transfer Functions of

Physical Systems

3,4

2,3

Block Diagrams Algebra

System (Transient) Response Analysis; Steady-State
Characteristics; Computer Tools (Matlab/Octave)
System stability
stability.

Control Actions; System Compensation

Root Locus Analysis

All

All

3,4
45
4,5

7-13
7
13
13

Frequency Response Analysis; Control Systems

Design
Revision clinics

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

Introduction and Basic Concepts

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

What is a control System?

A control system is an interconnection of

components that will provide a desired system
response or output response.
The study of control systems is a study of
dynamic systems. A static system needs no
control.
E
Examples
l
off controlled
t ll d outputs:
t t temperature,
t
t
humidity, position, speed, pressure, direction,
liquid level, altitude.
And also: sugar level in humans, inflation,
unemployment rates, traffic congestion.

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

What is a control System?

In order for a system to be controllable, there
must be a cause-effect relationship, i.e. there
must be some input that can be changed to cause
changes to the output parameter to be controlled.

(Source of energy)

Controlling/actuating
put,
input,

Output
Process
ocess o
or Plant
a t

(chemical process, machine, industrial

process economic process)
process,
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

Example:
(Source of energy)

Controlling/actuating
C
t lli / t ti
input,

Output
Process or Plant

(chemical process, machine, industrial

process, economic process)

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

Open-loop control Systems

Desired output
response

Controller

Plant
or
Process

Output

In an open-loop control system, no feedback from the output is used

to control, meaning to adjust the input to, the system.
Based on value of the output that is desired, the controller adjusts
the input to the plant to achieve this.
Control will onlyy work well if p
plant is highly
g yp
predictable and there is no
internal or external disturbances. Generally used only when good
control performance is not required.
Examples: An electric bread toaster. Temperature control of a simple
water heater for the shower.
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Example: Open-Loop Control

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

11

Example: Water heating system

Open-Loop Control

Controller

Desired: Keep temperature

of liquid at certain value
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Closed-loop feedback control System

R

U
Controller

Y
Plant

Sensor
Feedback

R Set-point or Reference Input

U Plant input

E Error
Y Controlled Variable

The sensor measures the actual value of the output, Y, compares

this with the desired value, R, and computes the error, E. Based on
this error E, the controller generates the input, U, to the plant so as
t bring
to
b i Y to
t the
th desired
d i d value
l R.
R
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Example: Closed-Loop Control

Brain compute

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Example: Water heating system

Closed-Loop Control

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Closed-loop feedback control System

R

U
Controller

Y
Plant

Sensor
Feedback

Generally used when good control performance is required.

Accurate control can be achieved even in the presence of plant
variations and/or internal or external disturbances
variations,
disturbances. Any such
disturbance will affect the output Y and reflected back in the error E.
This will cause the plant input U to change so as to correct for the
disturbance.
Can become unstable. Stability becomes an important consideration.
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Examples of control Systems

in air planes

in ships

in humanoids >

in manufacturing
processes
p

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

i CNC machines
in
hi
17

Application Examples

Drones unmanned
aerial vehicles
In cruise missiles

In battle tanks
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

In robot warriors

18

Autonomous Transport Vehicles for

Mobility on Demand

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

Example: Open-loop vs Closed Loop

Process of Walking:
Desired output: a point where you want to be.
Controller: the brain
Plant or process: the legs
O
Open-loop
l
control:
l
Walking with your eyes closed.

A walking man

Closed-loop feedback control:

Walking with your eyes open.
The eyes sensed the actual output, where you
are and where you are heading, computes the
error in position and in direction, and issues
plant,, meaning
g the legs,
g , to
commands to the p
move in such a way so as to reduce the error.

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Example: Open-loop vs Closed Loop

Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force

Dropping a Bomb:
Objective of dropping a bomb
from a height is to hit a target
below.
Desired output: Target below
Plant or p
process: the bomb with
its control fins

Open-loop
p
p Control or dumb bombs
The controller, meaning the pilot or bombardier, needs to
estimate his own height, velocity, distance to target, wind
conditions, and characteristics of bomb to decide when and
where to release the bomb. Often, hundreds of bombs are
needed to hit a specific target.

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Example: Open-loop vs Closed Loop

Dropping a Bomb:
Objective of dropping a bomb
from a height is to hit a target
below.
Desired output: Target below
Plant or p
process: the bomb with
its control fins
Closed-loop
p Control or smart bombs
Sensors are incorporated into the bomb to give feedback on
its actual position relative to the target. The error
information is then used to steer the bomb, using its control
fins, to the target. Result: one target only needs one
bomb.
Sensors: TV, Infrared, laser guided, or GPS.
See also: http://science.howstuffworks.com/smart-bomb1.htm
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Study of control Systems

Study of control systems is the study of the
dynamics of the system.
The response of the controlled variable Y to
any input R depends upon the dynamics of
the Plant, Controller, and the Sensor or
Feedback.

Given a control system,

U
Controller

Y
Plant

Sensor
Feedback

y = f(r,t)

meaning that y is not only a function of r, but also varies with time t.
If y = f(r)
( ) then the system
y
is not a dynamic
y
system
y
but is static.
To mathematically describe the dynamic behavior of the control
system and its components,
components differential equations are used
used.
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Linear and Non-linear Systems

A system is linear if it satisfy the properties of superposition
and homogeneity/scaling.
A system is non-linear if it is not linear
linear.
Consider a system which has the responses to any two
arbitrary inputs u1(t) and u2(t) as
y1(t) = f(u1(t))
and y2(t) = f(u2(t))
Property of Superposition is satisfied if the output for a
combined input of u1(t) and u2(t) is
y3 = f(u1(t) + u2(t)) = y1(t) + y2(t)
Property of homogeneity is satisfied if
y3 = f(Ku1(t)) = Ky1(t)

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Linear and Non-linear Systems

Consider a system which has the responses to any two
arbitrary inputs u1(t) and u2(t) as
y1(t) = f(u1(t)))
and y2(t) = f(u2(t))
A system is linear if the properties of superposition and
h
homogeneity
it are satisfied.
ti fi d
The above system will be linear if the following is satisfied
y3 = f(K1u1(t) + K2u2(t)) = K1y1(t) + K2y2(t)
In general
general, real physical systems are non
non-linear
linear if the
operating range is very large, However, if operation is
considered only about some operating point, and the range of
p
is sufficiently
y small,, most systems
y
can be
operation
considered to be linear.
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Linear and Non-linear Systems

Examples:

Which of the following systems are linear?

(i)

F = Kx

(ii) y = x2

(iii) y = mx + b

For any constants A and B and any two inputs x1 and x2,
(i)
F1 = f(x1) = Kx1 and F2 = f(x2) = Kx2
Also, F3 = f(Ax1+Bx2) = K(Ax1+Bx2) = AKx1 +BKx2 = AF1 + BF2
Thus properties of superposition and homogeneity is met. Thus linear.

y f ( x) x
(ii)
And
(not homogenous)
f ( Ax ) ( Ax ) 2 Ay
Also, f ( x1 x2 ) ( x1 x2 ) 2 f ( x1 ) f ( x2 ) x12 x22 (superposition violated)
Thus system is not linear or non-linear.
2

y f ( x) mx b
(iii)
A d f ( Ax ) m( Ax ) b Aff ( x ) A( mx b) ((nott homogenous)
And
h
)
System is not linear. Can be shown that superposition also violated.
ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Linear Approximation of Systems

Any non-linear system can be linearised about some
operating point and can be considered to be linear within a
small operating region about that point

y f ( x)

For a any function

with

y0 f ( x0 )

We can use the Taylor Series expansion about some

operating point, x0, and have

dff
y f ( x0 )
dx

x x0

( x x0 ) d 2 f
2
1!
dx

x x0

( x x0 ) 2
...
2!

For small variations about the operating point, second and

higher-order terms in ( x x0 ) can be neglected. Then

y y0 m( x x0 ) or y mx which is linear.

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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Linear Approximation of Systems

Example:
For the pendulum shown in the figure, the
restoring
t i ttorque due
d tto gravity
it is
i given
i
b
by

T MgL sin
Derive the linearised equation about the
operating point 0.

Solution:

T T0 MgL

d sin
d

Since with 0 0 , T0 0

( 0 ) MgL cos(0)( 0 )
0

T MgL

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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End

ME2142E Feedback Control Systems

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